UAlbany Battles #1, Defeated by Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A young UAlbany volleyball squad competed against the number one team in the country on Friday night, falling to Penn State in three sets (8-25, 6-25, 4-25).

In set one, Olivia Schonewise earned the first UAlbany (0-10) kill to tie it up at 1-1. At 3-1, Amanda Dolan put the ball away to get UAlbany within one. Penn State (6-1) countered with a 5-0 run, leading to MJ Engstrom calling timeout. Out of the break, Tatum Jungsten and Sofia Furlong combined to block a Megan Courtney attack to stop the run. After a PSU point, a Furlong kill and Nittany Lions attack error made it 10-6 home team. From there, PSU won 15 of the next 17 points to win set one 25-8.

Both teams exchanged points early in the second game, with a Schonewise kill tying the score at 2-2. Starting with an Ariel Scott kill, Dominique Gonzalez served Penn State through a 17-0 run. At 21-3, UAlbany got a couple points back, including a Laini Laindecker service ace. The home team kept its lead and got set two 25-6.

UAlbany had a tough third set, with a Dolan kill stopping an opening 4-0 PSU run. At 7-1 PSU, Schonewise and Dolan blocked a Courtney attack for a UAlbany point. The Nittany Lions finished strong, getting the last 11 points, to win 25-4 and sweep in the match.

Furlong hit .500 in the match with three kills and a block. Schonewise and Dolan each had a pair of kills, while Lauren Spreen had a team-best six digs.

For Penn State, Ariel Scott and Katie Slay each finished with eight kills, the former adding four blocks. Deja McClendon had five kills, six digs and four blocks.

UAlbany will look to regroup for tomorrow as the team takes on Yale at 1 p.m. and Eastern Kentucky at 4 p.m. to finish the Penn State Classic.